1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatuses and methods for inputting song text information representing character strings for words of songs, which are displayed on computer screens in accordance with progression of musical performance. This invention also relates to machine-readable media storing programs implementing the song text input methods.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, various types of systems (e.g., hardware systems and software systems) are proposed for inputting text data representing character strings for words of songs by means of keyboards. These systems are designed to input song text information in the prescribed format of character codes, so that the words of a song are sequentially displayed on a screen of a display in accordance with progression of a musical performance, which is played based on performance information. The song text information includes so-called xe2x80x98return marksxe2x80x99 or xe2x80x98change-line marksxe2x80x99, i.e., marks representing changes of lines by which character strings displayed on the screen are vertically changed in position. Generally, the change-line marks correspond to the specific character code representing a slash symbol xe2x80x98/xe2x80x99 whose ASCII code is xe2x80x982Fxe2x80x99. Therefore, users operate the keyboards to input the change-line marks similarly to the general characters (such as the alphabetic characters, numerals, and roman characters).
As described above, it is necessary for users to have preknowledge that the change-line mark corresponds to the specific character code of the slash symbol xe2x80x98/xe2x80x99 in advance. If users do not have such preknowledge in advance, they cannot input the change-line marks by keyboards on screens of displays.
Therefore, there is a demand to provide a song text information input system with user-aid functions for allowing users to easily input song text information on the screen of the display without having preknowledge of specific rules for control and use of character codes.
It is an object of the invention to provide a song text information input system that allows a user to easily input song text information on a screen of a display without having preknowledge of specific rules for control and use of character codes such as change-line marks and change-page marks.
This invention provides a song text information input system that allows a user to easily input song text control information for controlling the display manner of song texts on a screen of a display without having preknowledge of specific rules for control and use of character codes. The system displays a song text input window that contains a song text expansion area and switch buttons corresponding to a change-line switch and a change-page switch respectively. Using a keyboard, the user is able to sequentially input characters of a song text, which are displayed in the song text expansion area on the screen. Herein, the input characters correspond to normal character codes for designating Japanese characters, numerals, and roman letters, for example. As for entry of the song text control information, the user operates specific keys of the keyboard or clicks the switch buttons with a mouse to input special marks such as a change-line mark xe2x80x98/xe2x80x99 and a change-page mark xe2x80x98 less than xe2x80x99, which correspond to specific control character codes such as ASCII codes of xe2x80x982Fxe2x80x99 and xe2x80x983Cxe2x80x99. These marks can be arbitrarily inserted among the characters of the song text displayed in the song text expansion area.
Because of the insertion of a change-line mark, consecutive character strings are automatically split and displayed at vertically different lines on the screen. By insertion of a change-page mark, consecutive character strings are automatically split and displayed on different pages of the song text on the screen.
Because of the provision of the switch buttons and the prescribed assignment of control character codes, it is possible to provide the xe2x80x98user-friendlyxe2x80x99 song text information input system, which is easy to handle and is easily actualized by a personal computer and the like.
Incidentally, it is possible to provide machine-readable media such as floppy disks, CD-ROMs, and other portable storage media that record programs regarding methods for inputting song text information as described above.